Wireless communications are provisioned via infrastructure networks in which wireless devices connect to access points/base stations, and ad-hoc networks in which wireless devices connect to each other in peer-to-peer communications contexts.
In a wireless infrastructure network, each mobile network node is associated with a home environment. The association is performed at equipment registration and activation. The home environment encompasses service provider infrastructure tracking at least registered network node specific authentication information. While only of marginal importance to the invention, the home environment may also track statistics regarding registered network nodes and billing for pay-for-use services provisioned to registered nodes.
In use, a mobile network node is situated in a geographic area covered by at least one serving network. Each serving network includes wireless communications network infrastructure managed by a corresponding network provider entity. The network provider entity operating the serving network may be different from the service provider entity with which the mobile network node is registered.
A multitude of wireless mobile communications technologies exist which enable wireless mobile nodes to connect to access points/base stations of wireless infrastructure serving networks in order to establish communications contexts with other communications network nodes; establishing communications contexts with other wireless network nodes in close proximity being relevant to the present description. Wireless mobile nodes typically adhere to multiple wireless mobile communications technologies. Multiple serving networks, each adhering to a different group of wireless mobile communications technologies, coexist in serving overlapping coverage areas. Services are provided to mobile network nodes in an area either by a single local serving network or by a group of cooperating serving networks, including wired networks providing communications services; statistics and accounting being sent to respective home environments.
FIG. 1 provides a high level view of prior art authentication being performed in a wireless infrastructure network 100 adhering to Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) or Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) wireless communications protocols, the specifications of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Responsive to a wireless mobile node 102 attempting to connect 104 to the infrastructure exemplary shown as an access point/base station serving network proxy 106, the serving network proxy 106 retrieves 108 from a home environment 110 associated with the wireless mobile network node 102, sufficient information to authenticate the mobile node 102. The retrieved information is typically encapsulated and has a triplet, quintuplet, etc. authentication vector structure according to the technology employed. Herein after, information retrieved from the home environment 110 for the purposes of authenticating a mobile node 102 will be referred to generically as cryptographic information.
The serving network proxy 106 presents 112 the mobile node 102 with a challenge, based on the information obtained 108 from the home environment 110. A successful response 114 to the challenge 112 leads to a successful authentication of the mobile node 102. The serving wireless network 100 provides communications services to the mobile node 102, the provisioning of services may include services provided via the serving network proxy 106, and the home environment 110 may be informed 116 about services rendered to the mobile network node 102.
In the field of wireless mobile communications, convergence between different wireless communications technologies has recently been fueled by standardization bodies and by industry. The work in progress in the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) in the area of 3GPP/WLAN interworking group, which serves to produce standards for the next generation of wireless devices, is exemplary of a current attempt towards convergence. Convergence, when achieved, will lead to an increasing availability of multi-standard wireless devices exemplary adhering to wireless communications standards such as, but not limited to: UMTS, Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), GSM, Code-Division Multiple-Access (CDMA), Bluetooth, etc. the respective specifications of which are incorporated herein by reference.
To date, wireless technology convergence attempts include a 3GPP TS 23.234 specification for Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) interworking, specification which is published on the Internet at http://www.3gpp.org/ftp/Specs/html-info/23234.htm, which is incorporated herein by reference, describing a system allowing access to 3G services and functionality from a WLAN access. Similar efforts include 3GPP2 for WLAN and WiMax interworking, and others.
Further attempts at wireless technology convergence are described in Internet publications: http://www.ietf.org/internet-drafts/draft-haverinen-pppext-eap-sim-12.txt, and http://www.ietf.org/internet-drafts/draft-arkko-pppext-eap-aka-11.txt, which are incorporated herein by reference, respectively relating to WLAN/GSM and WLAN/UMTS convergence and ways to connect to a WLAN using 3G or GSM authentication mechanisms such as, EAP SIM authentication and EAP AKA authentication.
Wireless ad-hoc communications networks are inherently susceptible to network-level security threats such as eavesdropping, mobile node impersonation, and/or unauthorized modifications of the underlying communication flows.
Despite the advantages provided by current prior art attempts, to date these attempts only provide solutions for convergence of wireless infrastructure networking technologies, there is a need to address the above mentioned security issues in support of ad-hoc communications networking.